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FutureShip Designs Zero-Emission Fuel Cell Ferry for Scandlines

25 Oct 2012

Further to Scandlines’ expression of interest in fuel cell ferries for the Fehmarn Belt crossing between Denmark and Germany, a shipping efficiency consultancy has produced a design for the proposed ferries.

Germanischer Lloyd subsidiary FutureShip has developed a zero-emission propulsion concept for Scandlines, which could be implemented on the Baltic ferries within the next five years.

The zero-emission ferries have 8.3 MW fuel cells and 140 m3 hydrogen tanks, sufficient for a passage of 48 hours, as well as storage batteries with 2.4 MWh capacity. The ferries travel at 17 knots but can accelerate up to 18 knots by drawing additional power from the batteries. Flettner rotors harvest wind energy.

FutureShip estimates that the ferries would cost only about 25% more than a conventional design and says they could be built with technology available today.